Guide to Lanterman for Early Start Families - Frank D. Lanterman ...

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Tips for Forming a Successful Family- Professional Partnership • Sign and return IFSP amendments promptly. Your signature on these documents is necessary for the funding authorization process for the services and supports required by changes to the IFSP. • Plan ahead to allow time for funding. The funding process for purchased services takes time, so give your service coordinator ample time to request such services. Service coordinators must follow an approval process and adhere to specific funding criteria. On average, the approval process takes about two weeks. • Request copies of all progress reports and evaluations from anyone working with your child, whether or not the Regional Center is funding the service or support. Keep a copy of all reports for your file and give a copy to your service coordinator for the regional center file. Reports may be important when a request is made to renew funding. • Keep your service coordinator up to date about what’s going on with your family – about things such as hospitalizations or if you have a family crisis or emergency or major change. • If you find a resource or training opportunity that you believe may benefit you or your child, discuss it with your service coordinator. Find Support Within the Lanterman Community Families have told us over the years that one of the most important things they learn at the Regional Center is that they are not alone – that other parents of children with special needs share their experiences and feelings. Here are some things that parents have told us that have been particularly helpful to them: v Seek out peer support from other families who have “been there” by joining a support group or requesting a Peer Support Partner. v Identify and make use of your own natural support system – family, friends, religious organizations, community. v Keep your expectations high and set challenging, yet realistic, goals for your child. 12 Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center
Family Centered Planning At its core, developing and implementing a family centered plan is about providing services and supports that are individualized and flexible over time, are built on strengths and needs of the child and the family, reflect priorities and concerns of the family, and respect the family’s preferences and choices. Family centered planning is an approach to determining, planning for and working toward the preferred future of a child. It provides a framework for making decisions and takes into account a variety of factors that affect a child’s life. The Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Family centered planning is used to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for every child birth to 3 years of age who receives Early Start services from Lanterman. A child’s initial IFSP is completed within 45 calendar days of the time the family first contacts the Regional Center. The plan is developed by a planning team including the family and the service coordinator, and may include other people who provide the child or family with support and services. The IFSP identifies and documents the family’s desired outcomes and states clearly how the team will work toward achieving these outcomes and how any health or safety issues will be addressed. It includes a statement of the infant’s or toddler’s present levels of physical development, including vision, hearing and health status; and cognitive, communication, social, emotional and adaptive development. The IFSP also includes: v A statement of the family’s concerns, priorities and resources related to meeting the special developmental needs of their child. v A statement of the major outcomes to be achieved for the child. v A schedule of all services and supports, including the type and amount of services and supports, who will provide them, whether they will be provided in natural environments, and an explanation if a service is not provided in a natural environment. v Criteria, procedures and timelines for determining the degree to which progress is being made and whether changes to the plan are necessary. v Steps to be taken to ensure the child’s smooth transition out of Early Start at age 3. Preparing for the IFSP Meeting Effective planning requires your service coordinator to take the time to learn what is important to your family and to ensure that any issues of health and safety are carefully considered. In preparation for the IFSP meeting, your service coordinator will spend time getting to know your family’s unique situation by reviewing your child’s record, assessments and recommendations from service providers, and progress reports. He or she will also begin development of the health status review and IFSP documentation that will be completed at the meeting. You, too, should prepare for this meeting by thinking about your child’s strengths and needs, your concerns and the hopes and dreams you have for him or her. Identify the knowledge and strengths that you possess that may help your child take steps toward achieving desired outcomes. Also think about what types of training or additional knowledge you may need to help support your child, as well as what professional services or supports your child may need to achieve desired outcomes. Additionally, you should bring with you information about personal, financial and other resources, such as private insurance, that are available to you and your child. FAQ Why is it important for my service coordinator to visit me in my home? Many of the issues discussed at a meeting between a family and service coordinator are personal and private, and it is difficult to maintain a desired level of privacy and confidentiality when these matters are discussed in a public setting, such as a coffee shop or restaurant. In addition, it is essential for service coordinators to be familiar with a child’s home situation so they can make the appropriate recommendations, especially in regards to in-home supports. The better your service coordinator knows your family, the better he or she will be able to support you. Guide to Lanterman Regional Center for Early Start Families 13
Page 1: Guide to Lanterman Regional Center
Page 4 and 5: Our mission is... To enable people
Page 6 and 7: Examples of Early Start Services Th
Page 8 and 9: The Role of the Regional Center CEI
Page 10 and 11: Working Together in Partnership The
Page 12 and 13: Service Coordinators’ Responsibil
Page 16 and 17: What Happens at an IFSP Meeting Fam
Page 18 and 19: Transitioning from Early Start at A
Page 20 and 21: Resolving Disagreements About Early
Page 22: Receiving Quality and Effective Ser

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